The man who knew her secret
by canepari
Summary: Hypnotized, Batgirl reveals her secret identity


"Welcome, Batgirl and Myrtle, thank you for coming!" told Dr. Theel.

"Thank you Dr. Theel for receiving us in your office with such short notice" replied Batgirl. "I hope that this session will help us to solve a crime".

There was a robbery at the Gotham Library yesterday and Myrtle, one of the librarians, was a witness, but as she was still in shock, she hardly remembered something of that stressful moment. Dr. Theel was a therapist specialized in hypnosis and he could get some details that she had forgotten.

"Ok, please take your places and we will begin", the doctor said.

Myrtle sat on a chair and Batgirl stood behind her with her hands on Myrtle's shoulders.

Dr. Theel put himself on his goggles, switched on the camcorder to begin recording and turned on a machine that produced strobe lights. Myrtle felt into trance immediately. He requested her to close her eyes and answered "Yes, doctor" every time she understood his questions.

Myrtle described any single detail as if she was reliving the theft again. In twenty minutes she completed her narration. As soon as it was finished he woke her up and requested a police car to escort her home.

No sooner Myrtle closed the door, the doctor told Batgirl " I think that this is very useful for you, isn't it, Batgirl ? And she unexpectedly answered "Yes, doctor".

Eh? What the f...? Dr. Theel said. Suddenly he understood what had happened. He had forgotten to provide the beautiful crime-fighter with the eye protection against the strobe lights and now she was stood there, in front of him, fully hypnotized.

"I'm getting old. She will laugh when I wake her up" he supposed. He was nearly to put her out of trance but he was struck with an evil thought. "While she is asleep I could take advantage of this situation and find out who she really is! It would be easy to contact her if I knew her secret identity!" thought the doctor.

He went to the door and locked it to avoid witnesses who could stop by and come in.

"Batgirl, are you comfortable?" he answered. "Yes, doctor" she replied.

"Ok, forget the "yes, doctor", open your eyes and tell me who you really are"

She obeyed the demand and replied "I am really… Batgirl."

"Batgirl, who are you when you are not Batgirl?"

"I…" she began. Then she shook her head. "I really am Batgirl".

"Yes, Batgirl" he patiently said, as his voice took on a more seductive quality. "You don't spend all of your time fighting crime, though. In your downtime, who are you?"

"I–" Batgirl began. She hesitated and repeated, "I-I have sworn never to reveal my secret identity. To do so would impair my effectiveness as a crime-fighter."

"Now, Batgirl, you know you must reveal this information to me. I want to know your secret identity. You will tell me. You have no choice. You know I want to know the name of your everyday alter ego and you know you really want to tell me. So, I'm going to ask you only one more time!" The seductive quality of Dr. Theel's voice was ebbing as a hard edge began to manifest itself. " **Tell me right now, Batgirl**! Who are you, really?"

"I, " Batgirl said slowly. "Batgirl is–" She hesitated.

"Yes?"

"Batgirl is really–"

"Who, darling? Tell me!"

"Batgirl is really Barbara Gordon," Batgirl said quietly.

"What's this…? It can't be possible!" Dr. Theel was astonished. She knew Barbara Gordon since she was a child. Speculation as to Batgirl true identity had fueled many late night debates. (That she could be the Commissioner's own daughter had never been remotely suggested.)

However, he couldn't still believe what he had just found out. He had to check it with his own eyes. He gently asked: "Barbara, could I see your face, please?"

At that point, her defenses were broken. She raised both arms to his head and her delicate gloved fingers, reached her mask pulling the cowl up over her eyes and forehead, confirming her true identity she had exposed a few seconds ago.

Totally startled, Dr. Theel realized what he had done. He had discovered the greatest secret in the world, but he couldn't share it with anyone else. No one would ever learn her secret from him. After all, Commissioned Gordon was his boss.

He requested Barbara to pull the cowl back down on her face, what she did hiding her identity again. The doctor was ordering her to forget everything from the time she had gone into a trance just when somebody began to knock strongly the door. Because of the noise of banging on the door Batgirl slowly came to. By unlocking the door, Commissioner Gordon went into the office.

"Hi, Batgirl, how are you today?" asked the Commissioner.

"Hi, Commissioner. I am fine, in fact I feel as if I had been napping half an hour".

"Good for you, Batgirl, I'm pleased to see you again! By the way, doctor, why had you locked the door? Is there something you should tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Commissioner" replied the nervous doctor while he stopped the video recording. "There is nothing I can tell you due to the professional secret between patient and doctor. Isn't, Batgirl?"

"Yes, that's right, Commissioner" Batgirl said at the same time she smiled at them. Then, she walked all the way to the door. As she passed by the doctor she turned his head and winked at him.


End file.
